Mystery of old ski photos discovered in 1930s camera

A 90-YEAR-OLD camera bought for £10 in a charity shop has sparked a modern mystery after its film was developed and found to contain postwar Swiss secrets.

- BY CHRIS RICHES

An eagle-eyed amateur photographer, 72, spotted the 1930s model Zeiss Ikon Baby Ikonta camera on a shelf in the Alabare homeless charity shop in Wilton, Wilts.

After taking it home he was stunned to find inside an exposed 1956 Verichrome Pan 127 (VP) film, which he took to camera expert Ian Scott at the Salisbury Photo Centre to see if it could be developed.

It yielded a historical treasure trove showing an unknown family and skiers with bibs sponsored by baby-milk maker Cow & Gate outside the Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St Moritz, Switzerland.

Now the camera buyer and Ian are appealing to our newspaper's sleuths for help in identifying the people pictured in the fascinating black-and-white shots.

There was a Cow & Gate Ski Trophy for alpine skiers across Switzerland in the 1950s and as the film was only on sale from 1956 - we guess the photos were snapped later that decade.

The company said it was baffled by the images and added: "These are amazing, what a glimpse into the past! It's so special to see Cow & Gate featured in memories like this. Thanks for bringing these unseen images back to life."